


The Journeys We Take

by DowagerMcGonagall



Series: Musketeer Maggie [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: 1630s, F/F, Found Families, Might not be historically accurate, No Aliens or Superpowers, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-09-06 02:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16823746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DowagerMcGonagall/pseuds/DowagerMcGonagall
Summary: Maggie is on her way to become a King's Musketeer. Currently, she on a mission with her friends to bring an important person before the King but of course trouble slows down their return to Paris.





	1. The Braggart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tidbit: I've based this story on some of the elements in the third episode of the first season of BBC's The Musketeers. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Let me know of any mistakes. Thanks for reading.

**Le Havre, France**

He had been out on the sea for what seemed like a lifetime. His ship arrived in the ports of Le Havre in the early morning and he knew what the first thing he wanted to do once he touched France soil. So he donned his best hat and walked down the ship's plank. He confidently strolled down the docks with several nods to men and women oblivious to two men one who was carrying a large wooden staff walking behind him. He also didn't see a young dark haired woman dressed in thin brown leather jacket carrying a sword watching. He was Mon-El Daxam, explorer extraordinaire and he was getting a drink.

"Drinks for the whole house!" he yelled as he entered the bar and its occupants cheered with excitement. Mon-El walked further into the bar and grabbed a table as a few occupants gave their thanks and a bartender walked over to him with a drink.

Maggie at this point entered the bar and saw Winn and Lena at a far booth. She continued to walk through the bar and sat at a table next to Mon-El's where James just happened to be seated. They watched as Mon-El removed his personal effects before taking a seat.

"A man who likes to draw attention to himself." said Lena as Winn looked around the bar to take in his surroundings.

"You think he realizes he is being watched?" asked Winn.

"And not just by us." stated Lena as Mon-El reached into his packed and pulled out a feather and offered it to the barmaid refilling his drink.

"This is the tail feather of an Amazonian Macaw. It was one of the loveliest birds in the jungle but it was not as lovely as you." he stated as he offered the lady the feather. "It matches your eyes perfectly."

"Seduced by a feather. There is no way that works." scoffed Maggie as she and James watched the scene in front of them.

"Any fool can tell a women she is beautiful; a true genius makes her believe that you mean it." smiled James as the woman accepted the feather with a giggle.

"There's one at the table and another one by the door." observed Lena as she watched the two men nod at each other. They must be preparing for some sort of attack on Mon-El.

"And one behind us." noticed Winn.

"And who is this?" asked Lena as two men dressed in black entered the bar also watching Mon-El.

Winn and Lena watched as the man behind them rose from his table as his other two companions did the same and they began to approach Mon-El when a voice rang out.

"Mon-El!" shouted a woman who just entered the bar. She had dark brown hair and was wearing a tight green dress.

"Oh dear God." said Mon-El as the woman angrily approached and drew out her dagger. Maggie moved to get up and stop this woman but James lightly grabbed her arm and shook his head.

"I want to see how this plays out."

The woman lunged at the lady with the feather grabbing her shirt and twirled her away from Mon-El. The woman ripped off an arm of the shirt as the lady threw an empty basket in the woman's face and was able to push the woman away. The woman recovered and swiped at the lady with her dagger but the lady ducked out of the way allowing the woman to grab the lady's hair. The woman threw the lady on her back on the table and she hopped on the table holding the daggers to the lady's neck.

"I'll kill you." threatened the woman as she locked eyes with Mon-El.

"Darling, please calm yourself. It's far too early in the morning for this." stated Mon-El as he noticed a man approaching them with a staff. He pulled out his pistol under the table and shot the man in the knee who fell down screaming.

"Touch him and you die!" yelled the woman who now was defending Mon-El.

Another man ran at Mon-El but he tripped over Maggie's foot and James stood to keep his foot on him to prevent him from getting up again. The third man tried to reach Mon-El but Winn pushed him into the wall causing him to fall down. The woman now held her dagger out to protect Mon-El from the four of them.

"You can stay away too." she stated as James approached her with his hands outstretched trying to keep anything else from happening.

"A moment ago you wanted to kill him."

"I have the right. You don't." she said as she lunged at James with her dagger but he was able to dodge it and grabbed her arm to twirl her away and pushed her towards Maggie who grabbed her.

"Get your hands off me.!" yelled the woman struggling in Maggie's grasp before she bit Maggie's thumb. Winn laughed in the background as Maggie cried out in pain and inspected her digit.

"She just bit me."

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you." said Mon-El as he walked over to his rescuers. "I was lucky that you were there. I really can't thank you enough."

"Not entirely." said Lena as she and her comrades began to surround Mon-El. "Mon-El Daxam, I am Lena of the King's Musketeers. You are under arrest." continued Lena as Winn went to disarm Mon-El of his weapons.

"We are taking you to appear before the King." she finished.

"That simply won't do. I can't travel today because of my important business."

"Your business will just have to wait." interrupted Lena.

"What about her?" asked Maggie about the woman who bit her.

"I have a name." retorted the woman. "It is Irma Daxam."

"May I present my wife."

"That explains a lot." murmured James.

"Any hidden weapons we should know about?" asked Winn as he began to pat Mon-El down.

"No, I never carry any concealed weapons.” he responded as Winn found a hidden pistol and held it up to the group. "I must have forgotten I had it there." 

"It can happen." reasoned Winn as the two men in black held up Mon-El's pack.

"I would hate for you to lose something so valuable. You wouldn't want this to fall in the wrong hands." said one of the men and he handed it over to Winn.

"Well, I guess I'm off to Paris." reasoned Mon-El and he walked towards the bar's exit followed by Irma who grabbed her dagger back from James who offered it to her.

"Oh, would you grant me one more favor?" asked Mon-El turning back to the Musketeers. "A few moments alone with my wife."

"You must think we're stupid." laughed Maggie looking around at her friends and they seemed to have no issue with it. "Apparently we are."

"I must have your guarantee that you won't try to escape, Monsieur." stated Lena.

"You have my word. As a gentlemen."

________

"Mon-El's admirers have gone, for now at least." said Winn as he and Lena waited for Mon-El and Irma to finish in the upstairs of the bar where there were rooms for patrons to rent.

"What do you think they wanted?" asked Lena.

"He probably owned them money." he responded as a loud gasp came from one of the rooms. "All traders are slippery as eels." They could hear more of Mon-El's yelling from outside the room.

"Oh, my love!" he yelled. "I've been so long at sea and have missed you dearly."

"I'm nearly…" moaned Maria as Mon-El who was seated on the bed began jumping up and down on the bed making it creak. Irma continued her fake moaning as she used her dagger to unlock one of the room's doors. A couple of bed creaks and fake moans later, Irma was able to unlock the door.

"The far window should give you an opening of the entrance. Thibault will be waiting." she whispered before kissing him farewell.

Mon-El quickly ran down the hall towards the window and heaved himself over the window sill and onto the roof of the building. With his pack, his slide down the roof struggling not to fall off before he lost his grip and fell onto the street below. Once he managed, to get up he saw Thibault run over to him.

"Hurry, Mon-El." Thibault said as he brought Mon-El over to a covered cart. Once inside the cart, Thibault got in front and grabbed the reins urging the horses to move. They rode for some time until Mon-El uncovered himself and looked towards the front of the cart and frowned when he saw a familiar face in a hat.

"I'd sit up here if I were you." laughed Winn as he took off his hat. "I'm sure your friend won't mind." suggested Winn as he aimed his pistol at Thibault who promptly hopped off the cart. Once at the front of the cart Mon-El saw the other Musketeers riding on their own horses.

"Everything okay with the wife?" asked James who was in front of the cart while Maggie and Lena were at the side and back of the cart respectively.

________

"Two Spanish envoys have arrived in Le Havre in pursuit of the explorer Mon-El." said Milady staring out a window.

"I know. He's under protective custody on his way to Paris as we speak." replied the Cardinal who was looking over documents at his desk.

"To be escorted by the Musketeer Lena and her friends?"

"As always, you are well informed."

"Will you be requiring my services in the near future?" she wondered walking over to the Cardinal's desk. "I have some personal matters to attend to."

"Any notion of a personal life ended, when I picked you out of the gutter and made you my creature." he responded. "However, even assassins should have a holiday now and then." The Cardinal paused before looking up at her. 

"This personal matter...wouldn't have anything to do with Lena?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"As of this moment, she's involved in the King's business. I trust you have no plans to interfere." stated the Cardinal as he rose from his desk.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"One thing I have learned in politics is never to let personal issues cloud my judgement. You should do well and follow my example." advised the Cardinal now rounding his desk to stand in front of Milady.

"You know you're my idol." Milady bowed before taking her leave.

________

They were on their way back to Paris riding for hours and Mon-El would not shut up. He regaled the Musketeers about his adventures and how amazing he was in all aspects of life and they were all very skeptical of his stories.

"I've always admired men of a military disposition. My father raised me on tales of the great heroism of the Musketeers."

"Who was he, Nostradamus?" asked James who traded places with Winn after he got tired of listening to Mon-El drone on and on. "The regiment didn't even exist then."

"I was going to be a soldier once myself but life, it had a different plan for me. All the things I've done, the places I've been. My friend, you would scarcely believe what I've seen."

"Yeah? Try me." scoffed James.

"Well, once I dropped anchor near a small island called Goree…" began Mon-El as the cart pulled farther away from Maggie and Lena who were slowly following the cart wanted to be as far away from Mon-El and his stories as possible.

"You know, we could probably walk to Paris quicker than this." said Maggie. "If we ditch the wagon, we might make some progress."

"Mon-El hopes his exotic gifts will soften the King's mood."

"Do you think he's right?"

"It costs us nothing to humor him." reasoned Lena not really giving Maggie an answer.

"A calabash." offered Mon-El as he held up a yellowish looking gourd. "Grows all over West Africa." he finished as James took a drink from it and smiled at the taste.

"I'm guessing your ancestry owes something to those regions." pointed out Mon-El.

"Maybe."

"Did they come to France as slaves?"

"My mother moved to Paris when she was freed. That's when she met my father."

"I've known many freed slaves who prospered."

"We didn't have much especially after he died. She raised me and taught me well though but I had to learn to fend for myself since I was young."

"Still, from the streets of Paris to the King's elite regiment? That is quite a journey." declared Mon-El taking a swig from the gourd.

"We're being followed by two men dressed in black." shouted Winn as his horse quickly galloped to the group in front of him. "About a mile behind."

"The men from the inn?" questioned Lena and Winn nodded.

"What are they waiting for?"

They picked up the pace and eventually made it to an abandoned area away from the road.

"If we stay off the road, they might pass us." said Lena as they came to a clearing surrounded by what seemed like abandoned buildings.

Winn got off of his horse and walked it over to an empty cart to tie its reins around the cart when he heard something. He turned around and saw Lena go for her pistol and approached him.

"What is it?"

"What's going on?" whispered Mon-El to James who just raised his hand telling him to be quiet.

Winn drew his sword and Lena and Maggie followed suit while James pulled Mon-El off the cart in order to easily protect him near the cart.

"Come out and state your business!" ordered Winn.

"That was rather formal." said Lena.

"I like to be polite." he responded his back facing the buildings so he didn't see the man running at him with an axe.

"Winn!!" pointed Maggie at the man while Lena shot the man down and yelled "Ambush!" 

Men and women ran out of the buildings each wielding a different weapon. They were carrying swords, large wooden staffs, and axes.

  
  
"Get Mon-El!!" yelled one of the attackers.

A man came at Lena with a staff and she blocked the attack with her sword before swatting her attacker on the back with her pistol. He went down as a woman ran at her with a raised sword and after a couple of clashes Lena was able to punch the woman down.

"James stay with him." ordered Lena as she fought off more attackers James moved in front of Mon-El preparing for an incoming fight.

A woman lunged at Maggie with a sword who parried it off as the woman lost her footing. Maggie moved away from the fallen woman as a man charged at her with an axe. When he got close enough, Maggie kicked him in the chest causing the man to fall on his back. A second woman attacked her with a rather large staff and Maggie dropped her sword as she placed her hands on the staff. She struggled with the woman and eventually Maggie was able to gain the upper hand pushing the women to the ground.

Winn was easily able to maneuver between two men lunging at him with swords. With little effort he fended off the first man's attack pushing him out of the way while he stepped out of the way of the second man's attack causing him to miss and flail in the air before falling flat on his face. Another man came at Winn and he blocked his attacker's sword with his own before pushing him away. While his back was turned, Winn was his in the back with a set of chains and he grabbed the attacker's arm before punching him in the face.

  
  
James stood in front of Mon-El watching his friends stopping whoever this people were from approaching their position. The few that got through, James was able to fight them off with precisely placed strikes with his sword and a couple of hard placed punches. He even pushed one of the attackers into the cart before two men with large staffs came at him. He was able to angle one of the man's staff down before the second man's staff struck down on his sword breaking off the tip.

Mon-El hid under the cart as James fended off attacks and he watched as the tip of James' sword fell in front of him. Quickly recovering, James brought out his dagger and stabbed his attacker in the stomach. Unfortunately someone came up behind him and struck James in the shoulder with an axe. From underneath the cart, Mon-El picked up the tip of the sword and swiped at the attackers legs until Winn ran over to them.

"James!" he yelled for his friend collapsed on the ground as he wrapped the chain around the attacker's neck and tossed him over to the side.

"Anyone else?" yelled Winn as he slammed down the chain and saw James grunting in pain from his wound. "Are you alright?" he asked as he removed his belt to place around the shoulder.

"That's enough." said a short woman exiting one of the buildings. "I've no argument with you, only with him." she pointed at Mon-El.

"Musketeers, allow me to introduce you to my business partner. Paula Meunier."

"By the looks of it, I'd say your partnership isn't going that well." retorted Winn.

"For eight years, I funded Mon-El's expeditions. And yet I discover his ship has arrived, my cargo is nowhere to be found, and he made no contact with me.

"There was no time Paula. I was forced to travel to Paris without warning."

"Hand him over and we will be on our way." said Meunier to Lena.

"Madame, I can sympathize with your grievances and even I can tell that your partner is a cheat and swindler. However, it is our duty to deliver him to Paris safely. So you must wait and seek justice there."

"I'm not leaving without him." argued Meunier.

"That is unfortunate because neither are we."

"I suppose I don't have a say." interrupted Mon-El while Winn went for a different approach.

"Tell your men to lay down their weapons." he ordered pointed his pistol at Meunier who nodded and Lena led her away for a private conversation.

"I will inform the Cardinal of your claims against Mon-El."

"How do I know you won't betray me?"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." she said and Meunier silently nodded.

"If I see your scouts on the road again, there won't be any second chances."

"What scouts?"

"Two men in black. They have been following us since Le Havre."

"They have nothing to do with me." she replied to Lena's retreating back. "I'm not the only man or woman wanting to settle something with Mon-El Daxam."

________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So instead of another story with insufferable Max, I introduced Mon-El. Not sure which one is worse. I know I promised focus on Alex and her growing feelings for Maggie so I'll have a couple of chapters completely focused on her thoughts and feelings. I'll try to have the next chapter up in a week or so. 
> 
> Next time: The gang seeks shelter.


	2. The Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tidbit: Parts of Lena's past are revealed. Flashbacks are italicized. 
> 
> Let me know if any mistakes.
> 
> Thanks for reading and thanks for the kudos.

Once Meuiner agreed to their deal, Lena walked back over to Winn who was hovering over their injured friend. James was face down on the ground hissing in pain as Winn looked closely at his wound. 

"Will I lose my arm?" asked James.

"No, but you may lose your life." responded Winn.

"That bad?" wondered Lena.

"His requires needlework and soon."

"Can he make it to Paris?"

"He won't make it to the next village, unless I get a chance to sew his wound."

"We should leave the road and look for shelter." suggested Maggie.

"Not here. We'll ride for a few miles and then find somewhere." offered Lena.

"James isn't fit to ride anywhere." argued Winn as he tied some cloth around James' arm.

"Get him on the cart." ordered Lena to Maggie.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Winn asked angrily walking over to Lena. "If I don't stop the bleeding, he will die."

"We'll wait till its dark." urged Lena but Winn wasn't satisfied with her answer and he grabbed her by her jacket.

"What's the matter with you? Don't you care about James?" he angrily whispered.

"All right." relented Lena. "I know a place nearby."

"Why didn't you mention it before?" questioned Maggie as stopping there could have avoided this whole mess.

________

"Corben! Come and see quickly." yelled a woman as he worked in his barn.

Once outside he saw a woman on a horse leading a cart and other horses through the village. It’s been a couple of years but he still recognized the woman who was now older than he last saw her. Corben walked back to his work hoping not to be recognized by the woman but he couldn't block out the whispers of the fellow villagers. They all knew who this woman was and how long it has been since she was last seen in the village. He just hoped his secret remained so.

_________

Lena led her friends through the village and followed what used to be a paved pathway now covered in grass to a pasture. She stopped her horse and gazed at the manor overlooking the pasture and saw its many windows have been shuttered closed from the inside. She was surprised the manor hasn't been ransacked over the years; it looked exactly how she left it.

As expected the front door was locked, so she guided her friends to one of the side doors that were always easy to open even if locked. After a couple of tries, Lena was able to open the door and guided her friends through the manor rooms. She saw chairs and other household items covered in sheets as she opened doors that led to rooms which haven't been used in years.

"Bring him in here." said Lena and she opened another set of doors followed by Winn who was carrying James. She walked over to a window and opened its shutters to let it some sunlight while Winn put James on a coach as Maggie removed the sheet covering it. James let out a couple of deep breaths trying to get through the pain.

"I'll tell you. If this place is for sale, I might be interested." said Mon-El as he admired the manor.

"Its not." replied Lena as she continued to open more shutters.

"Well, it is a bit dark for my tastes."

"I don't suppose there's anything to take the edge off?" struggled out James wanting to do anything to numb the pain in his shoulder.

"There's wine."

"Oh, I have something better." offered Mon-El. "A bottle of rum bouillon. The colonists make it out of sugar molasses." He pulled out a small bottle. "So potent, they call it killdevil."

"We'll be best friends after this." James said as he reached his other arm out for the bottle and he drank from it as soon as Mon-El placed it in his hands.

"So, how did you know about this place?" asked Maggie looking back at Lena.

"I own it." answered Lena before walking out the room. If she stayed she would have seen three shocked faces. James would have been shocked as well but he was too focused on the pain in his shoulder.

________

"So you were the Comtesse de la Fere? A daughter of the nobility?" asked Winn as he prepared his supplies and cleaned his hands to sew up James' wound. They brought a dining table into the room and laid James down on his stomach.

"How many servants did it take to run this place?" he continued.

"No more than twenty, including my ladies maid and housekeeper." murmured Lena as she held Mon-El's rum.

"Quite modest." replied Winn as he prepared a needle and some thread.

"Servants make me uncomfortable." explained Lena.

"Look if you...if you don't mind, I'll go wait outside. I've been known to faint at the sight of blood." said Mon-El as he walked over to the door but Maggie was leaning on the door frame with her arms folded and shook her head.

"Why don't I stay." reasoned Mon-El.

"You must be skilled at this yourself." said Winn walking over to James.

"Better with sails than skin."

"Winn does fine needlework. Repairs all our uniforms. In another life he would have been a tailor." said James as Winn stood over him pointing out a couple of James' other wounds.

"A blade went in two inches deep but you wouldn't know, would you? And this one I trussed up during a skirmish we had in Poitiers." bragged Winn. "Stitching, that's fine enough for the Queen's chemise."

"If you could prepare the patient." stated Winn to Lena and she walked over to James.

"James." she said and after he raised his head she punched him out. She shook out her first while Winn made sure James was knocked out.

"Dear God. What kind of are animals are you?" commented Mon-El as he stepped back in horror.

"It's the best way with James. We learned from experience." explained Lena as Winn just nodded in head remembering the times where James would always groan in pain over his wounds.

________

Even though he was the King, Louis was never really a busy man. He delegated most of his duties and only appeared at court when he wanted to and at his council meetings when he was called. Today he was building a model ship. It took him all day but he was proud of it.

"Notice the intricacy of the rigging, Cardinal." said the King gesturing to the small ship in front of him. The King was seated at a table surrounded by his ship model tool kit and wine. 

"Your Majesty's attention to detail is remarkable." responded the Cardinal although he was distracted by the documents in his hand.

"Too bad it's a Dutch and not a French flag flying from the mast." continued the King as he eyed the orange, white, and blue flag that represented the Dutch Armada. "A great nation deserves a great navy." he huffed.

"The cost would be too much." reasoned the Cardinal. "Our neighbors spend vast fortunes supplying their needy little colonies."

"Colonies which supply them with sugar, tobacco, and gold." argued the King. "The navy's a sound investment one might think."

"There's always the awkward detail of Your Majesty's treaty with Spain."

"It is very tiresome to be instructed to do things. Especially by Spain. I'm not a child. I am a King as well." 

"This Mon-El, I suppose we shall have to punish him." wondered the King. 

"According to the Spanish, he has broken your treaty and plans to establish his own colonies in the name of France."

"Well that's very wicked of him." The King paused before continuing. "We must respond appropriately."

The Cardinal stared at him wondering what the King had planned but before he could ask Louis continued speaking.

"Explorers really are the most terrible bores. They brag too much about themselves. 'I've discovered this' and 'I've named that.' No doubt, Mon-El is cut from the same cloth."

"No doubt."

"Still, one might call him a patriot."

"Well not to the Spanish ambassador, I believe he used a different word to describe him."

"Did I ever tell you about my scheme to model the Spanish Armada?" asked the King with a small smile.

"A notable Spanish adventure that ended in catastrophe." recalled the Cardinal.

"Precisely, Cardinal. Precisely." whispered Louis. But it would be nice one day to decorate my ships with the French colors."

"May I say, sire, you never fail to surprise me."

________

James was now asleep on the couch after Winn patched him up. Lena was watching over him while the others explored the rest of the manor. She hasn't been in this house for ages and there is one room she wanted to see. So she exited the room and walked her way through the manor opening up all the large rooms that led to the next room. That led into the next until she hesitated once she reached the set of doors she was looking for.

It took her a few moments to open the doors and entered the room. Like the others, the room was dark and dusty and some of the furniture was covered in sheets. Her gaze swept through the room and stopped at the desk in the room. It was used by her governess. She remembered it being covered it papers and she would always have a vase of those pretty blue flowers on it.

_"I must thank you again for moving me into this room. I can look out the window and see the beautiful forget-me-nots. I'll press you some later." said Milady who turned around in her chair when she saw Lena enter._

_"It was my pleasure. This room was better than the cupboard that you were in. Father said that you could stay as long as you want. You've raised me and you belong here."_

_"Your brother doesn't feel the same. He wants me out now that you are older and no long require a governess."_

_"Ignore him, Lex just likes everything proper. Father likes you."_

_"But he won't be alive for long, the minute he dies I'm out. Lex will order the manor how he wants it."_

_"Well then I'm out too. We'll go to Paris or sail to the West and find a new home there. We're family and that's all that matters."_

She solemnly stood in the doorway and remembered that this was one of their last conversations before everything went wrong. 

________

"I found my utopia. It’s a little place called San Christophe." shared Mon-El as he and a now awake James sat by the fireplace. James was drinking more of Mon-El's rum to lessen the feeling of the pain in his shoulder. Maggie was resting in a chair next to the fireplace.

"And I'll farm tobacco there and I'll retire fat and oversexed." he chuckled as he put his foot on the small table in front of the fireplace.

"Farming is no utopia, Mon-El. It's hard work, trust me." commented Maggie her eyes closed trying to find a comfortable position in the chair.

"No, labor is cheap. Plus I can manage the whole thing from my porch. With one beautiful woman on my lap and another mopping my brow."

"That sounds like paradise." said Winn as he entered the room taking a seat across from Maggie.

"There are opportunities for you lot in the colonies. You could be rich. You all should join me." offered Mon-El. 

"Maybe." said James after thinking over the idea for a couple of moments before Lena walked into the room.

"How are you?" she directed the question at James.

"Fine and fit."

"Can he travel tomorrow?"

"If he must." answered Winn.

"Then we'll leave in the morning."

"Well, I don't suppose you'll mind spending a night here. Will you Lena? This must bring back all sorts of memories." wondered Mon-El.

"Just get some rest." answered Lena before leaving the room.

________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comtesse is French for Countess according to Google Translate.
> 
> Thoughts. Next chapter will be up in a week or so. 
> 
> Next time: We'll see how Alex spends her day with the Musketeers away.


	3. The Brook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tidbit: Tried to get in the mind of a 1630s Alex. Its a little bit on the short side but I wanted to get this posted. 
> 
> Let me know if there are any mistakes.
> 
> Thanks for reading and thanks for the kudos.

Maggie left on a Monday and she should have arrived in Le Havre by Tuesday morning with the rest of the Musketeers. Max left on Sunday to visit some of his clients located outside of Paris and to convene with other merchants to talk about cloth. He'll return in a week or so. Due to her heavy workload at the palace, Kara barely showed up at the house anymore expect a few hours on the weekend.

To put it simply, Alex had the house to herself. She could do what she want and go where she wanted without being pestered by Max. Alex didn't have to worry about Kara as much since she spends her days in the palace, one of the safest places in Paris. Most of the time. Alex wasn't worried too much about Maggie since the mission was simple and straight forward but she knew an easy Musketeer mission was rare. She also knew her friends would look after each on their journey to and from Le Havre.

After she saw Maggie off, Alex went about her day as normal. She completed her usual chores: the dishes, the laundry, and tidied up the house. Alex met with Brian to discuss deliveries he was going to make during the week while Max was out of town. She stopped by the market to purchase food to make her favorite meals. This was all done by lunch and Alex's thoughts started to drift to Maggie. Alex recalled her conversation with Kara at the Easter Day parade and knew something was different. She knew that Maggie was different than anyone she ever met. 

She was still trying to understand why she felt so drawn to Maggie. Part of her believed it was because of her father and Maggie was Alex's last connection to him. Another part was something she couldn't figure out and she was glad of this time by herself. It gave her time to think without getting interrupted. 

After lunch, Alex took a stroll out of the city. When she thought her father died, Alex would spend her days exploring the city and some of the surrounding countryside. Through her exploration, she found an abandoned alcove that she used as a training area within the city and a small secluded babbling brook outside of the city. When she visited the brook, it would always be when she needed to speak to her father.

"So you faked your death." said Alex once she arrived at the brook and took her spot against a tree and watched the small stream flow over the rocks. It was almost springtime and Alex observed it wouldn't be long until the flowers and trees blossomed. She would have to bring Maggie here one day for a picnic. Maybe Kara as well. 

"At least you decided to come home in the end. I'd love to say that I understood you decision. Why couldn't you just bring us with you? You could have sent for us after you found a safe place to live." continued Alex. The last time she visited the brook it was just before she married Max. So it had been a while since she had a chat with her Dad.

"Although maybe if you had, Kara might have been taken in by another family and I do not know what I'd be like if I didn't have her. I wish you two would have met though. You would have loved her." Alex paused trying to gather her thoughts. "Maybe it's better this way. Not that you're dead of course but you left us alone in Paris. We got Kara and you got Maggie out of it. Maybe this is what was meant to be."

"She's amazing by the way and on her way to become a great Musketeer. I'm glad you told her about us since I hate to think of Maggie alone in the world even if she went back to the farm. You know she promised to take Kara and me one day." Alex smiled at this. She remembered Kara getting excited about seeing the different farm animals since they didn't see much of them in the city. 

"She's also the reason why I'm here. Ever since we've met, I've been drawn to her and I know its not just because she knew you. I know my feelings for her are stronger than I have ever known and I'm just trying to work through them. To understand what I was feeling."

"I mean one day we were doing laundry when something clicked in my head and I was reminded of what you would tell me about how you felt about Mom. Do you remember how I would always ask how you knew Mom was the one you wanted to be with? You said it was her smile and with that one act anything would be possible with her. I feel that when I'm with Maggie. Every time she smiles at me, laughs at me, or is just with me; I finally understand what you meant."

"I feel like I could do anything if she was by my side. I want her by my side for the rest of my life, Dad."

"But I'm afraid. What if she doesn't feel the same? What if I tell her and she decides to leave? It doesn't help that I'm married to a horrible person and would never grant me a divorce. I have nothing to offer her except my heart and I worry that won't be enough."

Alex paused when she heard the birds chirping. This was always a peaceful place and she hoped it stayed that way. She sighed knowing that she wasn't going to discover the answers to all her problems staring at the water and talking to the sky.

"What should I do? I can't keep on ignoring my feelings for her. Kara thinks I should talk to Maggie."

Alex took a deep breathe and smiled when she saw a silver fish swimming in the brook. It didn't take long before the fish was joined by two other similar looking fish before they swam down the stream together.

"Kara's right. I should talk to her. I will talk to her."

"Thanks Dad. I'll take good care of her, I promise."

________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Hope I managed to get Alex's thoughts and feelings across. She and Kara will chat in another chapter. 
> 
> Next time: A surprise guest arrives at the manor.


	4. The Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tidbit: This one is quite the doozy. Flashbacks are italicized. Posting this one early since I'll be out of town with no internet.
> 
> Let me know if there are any mistakes.
> 
> Thanks for reading and for the kudos.

The morning found Maggie struggling to put on her boots after a nights rest and James rubbing his jaw from his place on the couch.

"Did someone punch me?"

"Don't be ridiculous." she answered knowing James would be upset he got knocked out while Winn patched him up. "I'll go get you some water." said Maggie as she walked out of the room.

She picked up an empty glass bottle and walked out of the room and saw Lena staring at a set of portraits hanging on the wall. Lena silently turned towards Maggie after hearing her enter and she moved to walk right past Maggie before she stopped her.

"Hey, what happened here?" asked Maggie gesturing to a torn portrait. Maggie could tell that it was of a woman but the portrait's canvas was somewhat torn off and partially hanging down. This hindered Maggie from seeing the woman's face.

"Vandals, I guess." answered Lena and Maggie just shook her head not believing what people did to her friend's manor. Lena's home.

"And who is this?" asked Maggie gesturing to a portrait of a young man. It was hanging next to the portrait of a younger Lena.

"Lex, my older brother. He held the title before me and was everyone's favorite."

"What happened to him?"

"He's dead." stated Lena before turning to leave Maggie in the hallway stopping in front of a window and looked out and saw the tree. She remembered what happened there. The priest praying, Milady dressed in white holding her blue favorite flowers, and that man Lena saw in the village earlier, Corben was there. She was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of Maggie voicing her condolences before Lena exited the hallway.

After walking back with the bottle full of water, Maggie paused to look at the portraits once more. Even though it was just a picture, Maggie could tell Lena was much happier back in the past than she was now. Maggie looked over at the ripped portrait and wondered who the woman was. She could have been someone's wife or Lena's mom. Maggie could tell Lena cared for the woman and curiosity got the better of Maggie. She looked around making sure no one was around before she lifted the torn part of the portrait.

________

"What are you doing?" asked James as he saw Mon-El going through a couple of his documents at a desk in the room. They were the only two still in the manor as they waited for the others to get the horses ready.

"Just planning my next trip." explained Mon-El as he grabbed a pencil. "I'm just making sure my load is evenly distributed."

"I wouldn't mind taking a look, neither would Winn. We both like to learn new things." he groaned getting up from his chair.

"Ah, so the Musketeers has a pair of autodidacts?" questioned Mon-El and James looked over to Mon-El confused as he never heard this word before. "It means self-taught man. Like myself."

James nodded and made his way over to the table where Mon-El was but Mon-El rolled up his plans to place in his pack.

"Another time. Forgive me, my eyes are tired now. I'm such a martyr to detail." explained Mon-El.

"Maggie!" yelled Winn. Both men turned to the window and heard the shouts coming from the front of the manor.

"What is it?" asked Mon-El when James approached the window.

________

Winn was looking through his eye glass and saw a rider in black approaching the manor.

"Is it Meuiner?" asked Maggie and Winn slightly chuckled handing her the spyglass.

"You better take a look."

"Mon-El's wife. What is she doing here?" she questioned before handing the spyglass back to Winn.

Maggie readied her pistol as they saw her horse approach the manor and Winn turned to her with a strange look on his face.

"I've got a scar from the last time I underestimated her." explained Maggie.

"Stop there." ordered Winn as Irma came closer to the pair.

"Don't shoot!" yelled Mon-El who ran out of the house followed by James who was struggling to raise his pistol.

"I came for you Mon-El as I swore I would." huffed out Irma hunched over her horse as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Well you've had a wasted journey." said Winn approaching the horse as Maggie held Mon-El back.

"Can't you see she's injured!" yelled Mon-El.

"I was attacked on the road by two men dressed all in black." 

Maggie pushed Mon-El back towards James and walked to help Irma down from the horse.

"Let me help you down." offered Maggie holding up her hand to Irma.

"Underestimate me one more time and I'll blow off your head." replied Irma taking out a hidden pistol and Maggie raised her hands. "Drop your weapons."

"My darling, you even fooled me." said a shocked Mon-El with a laugh as Irma pushed Maggie back towards the manor with her pistol.

"Now friends, as fascinating as this journey have been I must be off." he proclaimed as he hopped onto the horse behind Irma who was still aiming her pistol the three comrades.

"I was Mon-El's scout in Brazil. There is nothing I can't find if I want to." she explained.

"And she chose to find me. Isn't true love a beautiful thing." said Mon-El before Irma shot at their feet and turned the horse away from the manor. They galloped away from the manor as the Musketeers ran to their own horses.

"You're not ready for this." stated Winn as James struggled to prepare his horse to go after the fleeing couple.

"Try and stop me." grunted James.

"Don't make us knock you out again." argued Winn as Lena came running around the other side of the manor having heard the commotion. 

"I knew I'd been punched!"

"Go inside James." ordered Lena as she got on her horse. "You are no use in your condition." she finished before she, Maggie, and Winn galloped after Mon-El and Irma.

________

The couple were moving fast through the woods hoping to lose the Musketeers who would be on their tail any minute. Mon-El noticed they were taking a different path than the one he took earlier to arrive at the manor. Irma guided the horse through a narrow pathway and the horse galloped at a fast pace through the woods until a man in black revealed himself behind a tree. Irma slowed the horse down attempting to turn the horse around when they saw the man aim his pistol. The man took a shot and hit Irma directly in the chest causing her to fall off the horse. Mon-El took the reins trying to calm the horse down as much as he could and he looked behind him. He saw the Musketeers approaching with Maggie leading the charge and in front of him the man in black was preparing his pistol for another shot. He heard another shot above his head and saw another man in black up on a forest ledge grabbing his rifle and running to his horse. He looked down at Irma, lying on the ground with her eyes wide open. She was dead.

"I'm sorry my darling."

He gave Irma one last look before yanking on the reins of the horse moving it off the path and down the rocky terrain. The horse galloped across a river and onto another path he hoped led out of the woods.

"I'll follow after him." said Maggie as she followed Mon-El's path while Winn and Lena stopped their horses in front of Irma's body.

"Hold your fire, we are the King's men!" yelled Winn at the man in black who fired a shot past the two Musketeers. Winn hopped off his horse as he saw the man preparing his pistol for yet another shot.

"Stop or I'll shoot." threatened Winn and the man ran away as he continued preparing his shot but he didn't get far as he fell from Winn's shot through the back.

Once he fell, Winn went over to check on Irma and turned her over. He shook his head at Lena when he realized she was dead. The pair then moved over to the man in black and he gasped once they turned him over.

"La resurreccion de los muertos y la vida eterna."

"Quien es usted? Que hace aqui?" asked Winn. His Spanish wasn't great but he knew enough to get by but it wouldn't matter. The man struggled to breathe before taking his last breathe.

"Why would Spain send agents after Mon-El?" asked Lena.

Mon-El continued his escape at a fast pace and he saw that Maggie was falling behind and laughed he triumph. It wasn't long before he made it to an open field before his horse just stopped. In the middle of the field.

"Come on. Move! Come on." he complained to the horse urging it to move. 

"It's a classic mistake." said Maggie as her horse slowly approached him. "A horse can gallop at most for two miles. If you kept her at a nice and even canter, you might have escaped."

"Yes well if I was a farm girl, I might have known that sort of thing." reasoned Mon-El and Maggie nodded with a shrug.

"Now. Get down." she ordered pulling out her pistol. "You can walk back and give that horse a rest."

________

They walked back through the manor and found James on the couch reading a couple of Mon-El's documents. He put them down and got up when he noticed they entered the room.

"You lying, filthy swine!" he yelled before backslapping Mon-El in the face with his injured arm before going back at him and slamming him into a table before Maggie and Lena pushed him back.

"No! What are you doing?" said Maggie as she and Lena struggled to hold James back who was seething in anger.

"I can explain." said Mon-El from the floor once he realized the source of James' anger. 

"Get off of me!" James struggled against the two women trying to break free. He kicked his feet out trying to get to Mon-El.

"James!" yelled Maggie as he continued his struggle and she heard his stitching rip followed by James' groan.

"There goes my needlework." lamented Winn as he watched the struggle continue.

"James enough. What's going on?" asked Lena and he stopped his struggling.

"That's Mon-El's cargo." he panted pointing at a couple of pieces of parchment paper which laid scattered on the table.

"Men, women, children." James continued as Winn walked over a grabbed one of the papers. It was designs for a ship. "It's a slave ship."

"The drawings make it look far worse than it really is." claimed Mon-El now sitting against the wall defeated covered in blood and bruises. He had tears in his eyes and Mon-El knew it wasn't solely from losing Irma. 

"Look at this one." James pushed Maggie away and grabbed another piece of parchment. "People packed on the deck, like fish at the market."

"I envied him. Boasting about his plans to farm tobacco and how labor is cheap out there." He continued he speech glaring at and trying to attack Mon-El but his friends held him back. "It isn't cheap labor is it, Mon-El? It's stolen labor, stolen lives."

"I am not a prejudiced man!" argued back Mon-El now standing. "This is business. Strictly business."

"The business of misery and suffering." 

"It's our duty to protect him." said Lena in James' ear and her pushed her away with a furious glare.

"And turn a blind eye to his crimes?"

"Slavery is cruel and disgusting, but it's not a crime."

"I heard stories about those ships, as a child." sniffled James. "Oh, hellish stories. Know why they're shackled?" He paused looking at his friends. "To stop them from jumping overboard. Its better than watching your friends, your family, your children, die of starvation and sickness, and hopelessness."

"You'll get your justice James." declared Winn walking over to Mon-El staring him down. "The King will see to that."

________

"So what's it like. Buying people?" asked James as he sat next to a pile of dirt he watched as Mon-El dug a grave. "I imagine you have a shopping list."

"Actually, I do. Makes the process a lot easier." grunted Mon-El as he continued to shovel dirt.

"I'll bet."

"It isn't a choice between freedom and slavery." argued Mon-El. "It's the choice between one life as a slave and another. If I don't buy them, someone else will." he continued defending himself while James glared at him. "And, believe you me, I'm offering the far better life."

"Men are born free. No one has the right to make slaves of them."

"Yes, but the real world isn't driven by romantic notions of freedom, is it?" proclaimed Mon-El as he paused in his shoveling. "It's driven by commerce and I'm a trader. That's all. I deal in commodities."

"A man is not a commodity." growled James as he stood up in anger at Mon-El's words.

"Oh, in Africa, he is." his paused as his attention was drawn elsewhere as he saw Maggie and Winn struggling to carry a covered body in a sheet.

"Poor Irma. She came here to free me and this is her reward."

"Crocodile tears. You left her to die."

"I owed it to her courage to try to escape." explained Mon-El trying to once again defend his actions as Irma's body was placed gently into the grave.

"Forgive me, my love." sobbed Mon-El. "You deserved a better man." he choked out before covering his face. "I seem to have forgotten all my old prayers."

Winn looked over at James whose back was turned. Winn knew that James wouldn't be reciting any prayers due to his anger for Mon-El. Even though Winn was not as religious as James was, he learned some prayers from James throughout their years of friendship.

"Nothing that suffers can pass without merit in the sight of God. Amen." 

________

Lena found herself walking around the empty manor. Remembering her life as it was when she was happy and when her family was alive. She found herself underneath the tree and her attention was drawn to a white button that was hidden in the dirt and grass. She rubbed the dirt off and she recognized it as the one off of the dress worn that fateful day.

_Lena watched the scene underneath the tree from afar atop of her horse. Milady in her white dress was speaking to a priest on an old cart. She saw Corben approach the pair with a rope and Milady dropped the blue flowers in her hands on the ground in front of her. Corben came behind Milady and fastened her hands together with some rope and she looked defiantly towards Lena. Corben threw over a noose around a tree branch placing it around Milady's neck. He looked over at Lena and after a slight nod; he pulled the cart away from Milady. The noose tightened and Lena averted her gaze and turned the horse away from the tree. She couldn't watch her death._

"What are you doing?" 

It was Maggie interrupting Lena's memories.

"There's someone I need to see in the village." responded Lena and she staggered away from the tree and pass Maggie.

"Let me go with you. You haven't been yourself since we arrived." offered Maggie.

"Keep an eye on James. Don't leave him alone with Mon-El." ordered Lena.

"At least tell me where you are going." yelled Maggie at Lena's retreating back.

"Just get back on the road as soon as you can. Get Mon-El to Paris." she yelled back.

________

"What about my wagon? I have gifts for the King." said Mon-El.

"The wagon stays here. We need to get to Paris as soon as possible." said James.

"What do you think he's going to do to me when I show up with no gift?"

"Quite ugly things I'd imagine." answered Winn as he secured his bags on his horse.

"We should wait for Lena." said James.

"She'll meet us when she's ready."

"He's right. We should wait." chimed in Maggie once she got settled on her horse. 

"Trust Lena to handle her own affairs. Let's go." stated Winn before leading the group away from the manor.

________

Lena arrived back at the barn where she saw Corben working earlier and noticed the barn door was slightly ajar. She entered the barn and saw it very cluttered with tools and other supplies used by Corben. 

"Corben." she called out when she saw Corben seated in at a table with his back to Lena. "Was it quick? Did she suffer much?"

She received no answer and moved closer to Corben noticing he had not moved since she entered the barn. She rounded the table and saw his throat was cut. The bloody knife laid in Corben's hand.

"I never should have involved you in this." she lamented before exiting the barn.

She arrived back at the manor searching for a hidden stash of wine. Once she found it, she drank as many glasses as she could before walking out into the hallway to look at the portraits. She took in the torn portrait before turning to the one of herself. She hated herself for the decisions she's made. She should have realized the truth sooner in order to prevent all this heartbreak. Lena roared in anger and threw a bottle of wine at her portrait before falling on her knees sobbing eventually succumbing to exhaustion.

When she came to it was dark and she struggled to get up. She soon smelled smoke and realized there was smoke throughout the manor. She coughed trying to breathe through the smoke when she noticed a faint light coming from one of the other rooms. It was Milady's room and the curtains were covered in flames. She heard approaching footsteps from outside the room and turned to see who it was.

It was Milady holding a flame lit wooden torch.

She was walking past the room when she turned and saw Lena go still in shock. Milady took a few steps back surprised to see Lena in the manor.

"You're dead. I watched you hang." whispered Lena.

"You didn't watch, did you?" stated Milady. "You couldn't stay to see your beloved governess. Your family choking on the end of a rope." she continued walking into the room closer to Lena.

"Corben." deduced Lena.

"I seduced him. As soon as you fled, he cut me down and revived me. But look." Milady pulled down her choker to reveal her scar. "I still carry the token of your love."

"You killed Corben." choked out Lena with tears in her eyes.

"I simply put him out of his misery. He spent the last five years waiting for you to show up and discover his crime. He was half-dead already." spat out Milady and Lena lunged at her but due to her druken state Milady easily evaded her.

"I'm dreaming."

"Drunk, yes. But not dreaming." declared Milady before swinging the torch and struck Lena down.

"Why are you here?"

"To erase the past and destroy it completely." she explained standing of Lena. "I'm glad you came back. Its right you should die with this house." she continued now kneeling over Lena and pulling out her dagger.

"The house where you murdered my brother."

"I killed Lex to save our family. He wouldn't have let you leave with me. With him alive you would have been stuck here forever." she explained grabbing Lena by the shirt and holding the dagger against her throat.

"You killed him because he discovered the truth. That you were a criminal, who lied and tricked your way into our home. Our life. He knew I wouldn't have been safe with you."

"He was a fool and a hypocrite. He deserved to die." shouted Milady in Lena's face. "I thought you would understand that." 

Milady paused in her ranted and saw the flames from the curtain had spread to the room.

"Lillian." whispered Lena from the ground.

"Perhaps its best it ends like this." remarked Milady as she placed the dagger back on Lena's throat.

"Do it." whispered Lena and Milady moved to strike when she noticed Lena's locket. She paused and gazed at the locket before opening it. She saw the image of her favorite blue flowers inside.

"Lena!" It was Maggie yelling from outside of the house. "Lena, can you hear me?"

"Maggie." murmured Lena and Milady got up and fled from the room.

"Lena!" yelled Maggie. She returned to the manor worried about Lena and was frightened when she discovered the manor was on fire.

She heard a horse neigh from the far side of the house. She turned and saw a hooded figure fleeing the burning manor. Maggie made the decision to go into the burning manor yelling for her friend. She walked through the smoke and flames trying to find Lena. She found her friend in one of the manor's many rooms lying on the floor coughing.

"It's me Maggie, Lena. Get up. We need to go." she shouted over the flames. She pulled Lena up and they staggered out of the manor. She carried Lena out a fair distance away from the manor before going to her horse to get Lena some water.

"Who was that?" asked Maggie referring to the hooded figure as she poured water on Lena's face.

"Since we arrived, I felt her presence everywhere. I thought I was imagining it." explained Lena still rather dazed.

"Who? Who?"

"My governess. She died five years ago now by my orders. She was a cold blooded murderer, so I had her taken from the house and hung from the branch of a tree."

"Look at me! Look!" shouted Maggie grabbing Lena by the shirt. "Are you saying the ghost of your dead governess tried to kill you?"

"She's not dead, Maggie. She survived."

"This was her revenge?"

"It was my duty. My duty to uphold the law. My duty to condemn someone I loved to death." she tried to explain to Maggie. "I've clung to the belief that I had no choice. Five years of that on my conscience. What do I do now?"

Maggie had no answer for her and Lena sagged to the ground as they watched the manor burn.

________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?
> 
> Translations according to Google:  
> La resurreccion de los muertos y la vida eterna. = The resurrection of the dead and eternal life.  
> Quien es usted? Que hace aqui = Who are you? What are you doing here?
> 
> I'm not sure when I'll get the next chapter up. It might be in two weeks or so.
> 
> Next time: The Musketeers return to Paris.


	5. The Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Tidbit: Visitors at the Lord household.
> 
> Sorry for the wait. Thanks for reading and for the kudos.
> 
> Let me know if there are any mistakes.

"I refuse to arrive at the palace on an ass." said Mon-El seated on a donkey while Winn and James chuckled at him as they rode through the streets of Paris. "I'm within my rights to demand a fresh set of clothes."

"What rights?" questioned James tinged with anger.

"The rights of every man to some fair treatment. Justice, dignity." paused Mon-El. "A little dignity."

"You do know how ironic that sounds coming from a slave-trader?" asked Winn as James glared at Mon-El.

"Yes, I've been thinking about that. I'm out of the slavery business." declared Mon-El. "Thank you for inspiring a new Mon-El Daxam."

"You'd say just about anything to save you own skin." retorted James.

"Of course I would. Who wouldn't?" he explained and James slapped the donkey causing it to jolt forward.

________

Alex was preparing lunch in the kitchen when she heard the floorboards creak behind her. 

"Surprise."

It was Kara holding a very heavy looking basket.

"What are you doing here?" asked Alex bringing in Kara for a hug when she walked over to her sister.

"Thought we could have lunch together, since you're all alone." answered Kara as she held up the basket. "Snuck some desserts from the palace kitchens."

"Kara, you shouldn't have done that." scolded Alex as she inspected the basket further and saw beautifully made pastries.

"It's not like I stole them. They chefs made too many this time."

"So, how's your week going?" asked Kara once they sat down for lunch.

"Fine. Just caught up with some housework and a dealt with a few business things."

"Did you speak with Maggie before she left?"

"No. I told you, I needed to figure it out for myself before involving her." reminded Alex.

"So did you?"

"Some of it. I mean I went down to the brook and talked with Dad." said Alex and Kara nodded knowing how often Alex used to visit the brook when they were growing up.

"And?"

"I like her so much, Kara. She's one of the most amazing women I've ever met." Alex paused before continuing. "She's so smart and she's tough. And she's so beautiful. So beautiful."

"So are you Alex. So are you." said Kara getting up from her seat to hug her sister. "Now let's discuss how we are going to get you the girl." proclaimed Kara before going back to her seat and reaching for a pastry.

"Even if Maggie felt the same, we can't be together."

"What?!" muttered Kara trying to speak through her pastry filled mouth.

"I'm married. I may not be attracted to Max or love him but I made a commitment. No matter how horrible it is. Also it's not like I can divorce him anyway. And I doubt he'll divorce me."

"You made that commitment because of me. Maggie is your chance at happiness and I'm not going to let you ruin it."

"Well until you figure something out, I will be not getting the girl."

"You could take her as a lover."

"What?! How in the world do you know about that?" Alex was shocked. She never heard Kara speak so easily about something so scandalous before. 

"People talk in the palace."

"I knew I shouldn't have let you work there." said Alex getting up from the table and walking over to the sink.

"Anyway, there are plenty of young women who have lovers Alex. It is not as uncommon as you think."

"It may not be uncommon but Maggie deserves more than that. She deserves the world."

"I know. I know."

The sisters remained quiet for a while as Alex cleared the table and started on washing the dishes and Kara picked at the table cloth.

"What about the farm? We could go there. Max doesn't even know about it so he'll probably think we upped and left." suggested Kara.

"I couldn't ask Maggie to go back to Gascony. She's becoming a Musketeer. A great one, perhaps even greater than I could have become. I won't let her give it up." sighed Alex from the sink hanging her head in defeat. She knew there was not going to be an easy way out of her marriage. 

"Just give me time. I'll come up with something that will work. You'll be a Musketeer again soon away from Max. Maybe he'll divorce you then."

"Maybe."

"Oh. I know!" exclaimed Kara. "I'll get him in with the courtiers and tell them all about the clothing business. If he doesn't divorce you I'll threaten to tell them Maxwell Lord uses the worst cloths in Paris."

"I've never seen you threaten someone before but that might work. If you can pull it off." responded Alex before giving her sister a hug. "Now hurry back to the palace before you get fired."

Kara hugged her sister goodbye before heading out the front door when she ran into a beautiful blonde haired woman at the entrance of the house.

"Oh, hello." greeted Kara.

"Tell your boss, that I've come for new material for a dress." ordered the woman.

"I don't work here but my sister can help you."

"Sister?"

"Alex. She's great. Why don't you wait in front of the fireplace?" suggested Kara. "Alex, there's someone here wanting a new dress!" she yelled through the house as the woman walked over one of the nearby windows.

"Kara, there is no need to yell." huffed Alex walking over to her sister and Alex looked over and saw pretty blonde haired woman in a green dress looking out of the front window.

"Tell your boss, I have come about material for a new dress." repeated the woman. Alex rolled her eyes, most people didn't realized that she and Max were married.

"My husband is away at the moment." she responded "I am Madame Lord. Can I help?"

"You're his wife. You and your sister are so young, I thought both of you were the maids." explained the woman.

"Kara don't you have somewhere to be." interrupted Alex. Something about this woman made her spine tingle. 

"Right. See you later, Alex." answered Kara before exiting the house.

"You are very pretty." continued the woman and Alex knew that she was being talked down to. She experienced this more than once since marrying and working with Max.

"So are you." retorted Alex. "What does that have to do with your dress?"

"And spirited." the woman started to walk closer to Alex now. "Some might say rude for a common merchant's wife."

"If you just tell me what you require, Madame."

"You have a lodger named Maggie." stated the woman changing the subject.

"Yes."

"She's beautiful. Gorgeous really." the woman stated once again before looking carefully at Alex. "Are you attracted to her?"

"I am a married woman." explained Alex rather flustered and honestly stunned some stranger would so freely ask these questions to a person they never spoken to. Not to mention it’s as if the woman knew what she and Kara were discussing several moments ago. 

"Oh, don't look so shocked. What could be more natural than for a married woman to take a lover?"

"I think you should leave now."

"Maggie and I have some acquaintance. One might say we've seen each other at our lowest points. We know each other very well."

"Are you her mistress?" questioned Alex rather outraged not knowing what to think about this woman and her interest in Maggie. Maggie didn't know anyone other than a select few in Paris and Maggie seemed too honorable to have a mistress.

"I have a maternal interest in her." explained the woman and Alex looked the woman up and down.

"You're not old enough to be her mother."

"Maybe maternal isn't the right word." she looked up and saw the other woman staring her down. Obviously she didn't inspected this kind of challenge from Madame Lord. 

"As your husband is away. I will come back another time."

"I'd prefer if you didn't."

"I don't think your husband would agree. I understand he is badly in need of money."

"How could you know such a thing?" questioned Alex. Their business was doing okay but she knows that it could be doing better. 

"Inform your husband, Milady de Winter called."

"And tell Maggie too, if you wish." Milady went to exit before glancing back at Alex. "So pretty."

________

"Our Spanish friend." observed Lena as they spotted a man in black riding through the streets of Paris. "Leave him to me." she paused before continuing. "Maggie, say nothing to the others of what happened."

"You have my word." she responded before leaving Lena to deal with the Spaniard.

She arrived at the Lord household a few moments later and was unsure if Alex was home as she couldn't hear or see anyone inside. She went upstairs to clean up before heading back over to the garrison. She was in the middle of changing her shirt when she heard a creak behind her.

"You're back." said Alex.

"Yep, later than expected so I'll clean up tonight."

Alex stayed quiet for a while watching as Maggie looked for a clean shirt. She averted her gaze when Maggie took off her shirt.

"There was a woman here while you were away." Alex needed to know who this woman was not out of jealousy. She was not jealous. It’s just this woman rubbed her the wrong way. "She said her name was Milady de Winter. She seemed to know you. Quite well I may say."

"Milady de Winter?" questioned Maggie wondered if it was the same Milady she ran into. Probably. Most likely. "Describe her."

"Blonde, green eyes. Pretty."

"What did she want?" asked Maggie turning around to face Alex with a new shirt on.

"She offered Max work."

"That's great."

"Maggie, you don't receive women in the house do you? Max wouldn't like it and would kick you out if he caught you."

"What?! No."

"Good." frowned Alex.

"What's wrong?"

"She frightened me Maggie. That doesn't happen ever. She spoke to Kara and I could see something in Milady's eyes. I think she might be planning something and I don't want to find out what it is."

Maggie sighed knowing she might have to tell Alex what she learned about Lena's past.

"Remember when we met." Alex nodded allowing Maggie to continue. "I woke up with a bloody dagger in my bed. Milady killed her traveling companion and framed me."

"Oh my god."

"There's more but I promised not to say anything."

"She was in my house, Maggie! She knows about Kara and I won’t risk her safety. You have my word, I won't say anything." vowed Alex. 

"How much do you know about Lena's past?"

"Not much."

"Well, we had to stop at her manor." Alex looked stunned. She knew Lena for years and had no idea. "She has a title, land, and money. Anyway there was a torn part of a canvas of a woman's portrait. I lifted it and it looked liked younger Milady. 

"She was Lena's mom?"

"Governess, I think. She burned the manor down and almost killed Lena."

Alex paced in disbelief for a few seconds before turning to Maggie. 

"Does Lena know? That you know Milady?"

"I didn't want to upset her more. What if I'm wrong and it’s not her? I don't think she could handle it if she knew Milady was somewhere in Paris. I'm afraid what she'll do."

"Milady? Or Lena?"

"I don't know."

________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?
> 
> Next time: Mon-El has his meeting.
> 
> This may be my last story for a while since I'm starting a job and I'll have to carve out times to write. I will finish up this story hopefully next weekend.


	6. The Ruse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tidbit: Wrapping up the story. 
> 
> Let me know if there are any mistakes. 
> 
> Last chapter. Thanks for reading and thanks for the kudos.

Lena followed the Spaniard through the streets of Paris until he ended up at a familiar destination. The Lourve Palace. Lena observed how the Spaniard easily bypassed security and snuck onto a balcony. Lena silently followed his path and saw the Spainard aiming a pistol at Mon-El who was standing in front of a palace window. She cocked her pistol and pressed it against his neck.

"I suggest you put that down so we can talk."

________

Mon-El waited in the hallway outside of the Cardinal's office. This was not how he thought this was supposed to happen. On one had Mon-El is glad that he's not meeting with the King in his state of unkemptness and his lack of gifts. And on the other hand, the Cardinal was rumored to be more intimidating and it also didn't help that he was covered in dirt. To put it simply, he was nervous.

"It appears you had quite an adventure on your way here." stated the Cardinal who was standing by the window near his desk once Mon-El entered the office.

"Some adventures a man can live without."

"I'm curious." paused the Cardinal. "How would you define a good adventure?"

"Where the potential reward outweighs the risks." remarked Mon-El.

"So going back on your deal with your business partner, Meunier. Is that a risk worth taking?" paced the Cardinal around his desk.

"Meunier's a woman of low reputation. She's dishonest to boot and nothing the woman says can be relied upon."

"And what is the King to make of the rumor that you were setting up tobacco plantations in the New World and importing slaves to work them." The Cardinal raised his voice as he approached Mon-El. "This is in direct contravention with our pact with Spain. Did you imagine I would take no interest in a matter that directly concerns the King himself?"

"With so much at stake, I can only suppose the rewards of your enterprise much be very great." continued the Cardinal since Mon-El had no response.

"Riches beyond dreams, Your Eminence."

"Indeed."

"I'm a patriot. A true son of France." explained Mon-El in an attempt to defend himself. "And it hurts me to see opportunity squandered."

"Opportunities for France or yourself?" wondered the Cardinal.

"Both." hesitated Mon-El. The Cardinal slightly formed a smile allowing Mon-El to continue. "If I might be permitted to explain my plans." said Mon-El walking over to the Cardinal's desk preparing to display his documents.

"By all means." allowed the Cardinal. "Explain them as if your life depended on it." Mon-El let out some laughter before the Cardinal continued, "Which incidentally, it does."

________

Winn and James were waiting for Mon-El to exit the Cardinal's office for some time and after a full two hours Mon-El approached the pair. The two couldn't read the expression on his face. 

"Execution? Imprisonment?" wondered James.

"Whipping?" chimed in Winn.

"Not exactly. The Cardinal and I have set up a joint stock company together." he explained smiling. "He agreed to invest ten thousand livre of his own money." he finished as James and Winn looked at each other in shock. "He charged me with setting up tobacco plantations across the Antilles."

"These plantations. They'll be worked by slaves?" asked James rather menacingly.

"Yes." hesitated Mon-El. "Yes of course they will. I'm actually off to Le Havre to charter a ship." he said and Winn got up from where he was sitting and approached Mon-El who had a frightened look on his face. Winn put his arm around Mon-El's shoulder and brought him over closer to James who was staring him down.

"Now I thought you were out of the slave business?" asked Winn.

"Circumstances, my friends. Adapt to circumstances. It's really all you can do." explained Mon-El before awkwardly trying to walk past James who was still staring him down.

________

"Mon-El has more lives than a cat." said Maggie as the three of them sat in the garrison drinking wine. James and Winn had informed her of what happened between Mon-El and the Cardinal.

"If only those Spanish spies had taken his last one." lamented James. "Or I had."

"What did they want with him anyway?" asked Winn to his friends.

"The Spanish King wrote to Louis demanding he put a stop to Mon-El's activities." informed Lena as she approached the group in her training gear. "The spies were sent to make sure he didn't escape en route and to shoot him if he did." 

"Well we should have let them." said James.

"He is in business with the Cardinal." said Winn to Lena who was now hearing of this.

"He won't be punished?"

"Rewarded." said Maggie.

"Well here's to us dying together on some forgotten battlefield, while Mon-El ends his days old, fat, and rich." toasted Winn holding up his glass of wine before pouring it on the ground.

"Now that man," started James. "will go on to destroy thousands of lives and there's nothing we can do to stop him."

________

He returned to the same bar that he found himself in three days ago. Except this time no one was trying to kill him, there were no Musketeers, and he had the Cardinal's backing. Also he could afford new high quality clothes and even decided to invest in a cape. He wasn't a royal but he sure did dress like one.

"Tonight my friends, the drinks are on me. For tomorrow, I set sail to a new and disgustingly prosperous life." proclaimed Mon-El.

"We had a deal, Mon-El!!" yelled a voice and Mon-El turned to the source and saw it was his old business partner, Meunier. She was seated in the bar.

"Paula, is that you?" paused Mon-El. "Yes, I have a new business partner now, Paula. You lay a finger on me and you'll have to answer to The Cardinal."

Meunier gestured and group of her men rose from their chairs in the bar. Mon-El suddenly became worried about his safety.

"I'm sure we could settle this like men of honor. And we should."

"Attack Mon-El and you attack the King."

Mon-El turned around and saw Lena approaching with her sword pointed at Meunier and her men. He looked behind Lena and saw her comrades follow suit.

"Why are we bothering this? He's scum!" yelled James who was approaching Mon-El. "He's a slaver."

"He's under our protection." explained Maggie. 

"Protection be damned!" argued James.

"We have our orders. We obey them!" shouted Winn as he dropped his sword and approached James.

"I'll kill you too, if you get in my way." threatened James as he swung at Winn.

"Gentlemen!" exclaimed Lena as she saw the two men go at it. She watched as Winn pushed James into a table and knew it wouldn't be long until the tavern turned chaotic. "Mon-El there's a ship in the harbor waiting for you. Maggie will show you." Mon-El ran to gather his belongings and hurried to exit the bar. "Hurry and you might live."

Mon-El followed Maggie out of the bar and she grabbed a lit torch so they could easily walk the path down the harbor to find the boat in the darkness. Maggie stopped by the plank once they reached the boat.

"The captain will see you on board." explained Maggie and Mon-El walked up the plank onto the ship before looking back at Maggie.

"Do drop in any time you're near the Caribbean? I'm sure to be home." he offered and Maggie walked away from the boat.

"Welcome, Monsieur Daxam." said a voice behind him. "So good of you to join us." After noticing the Spanish accent, Mon-El looked behind him and saw that it was the man in black holding up a lantern. 

"Wait!" yelled out Mon-El but Maggie was out of earshot.

________

"Admit it. I frightened you." said James to Winn.

"I was quaking in my boots." laughed Winn causing James to have a good chuckle.

"The key to Mon-El's warehouse." said Lena as she handed Meuiner the small item. "Everything in it is rightfully yours."

"If I were you, I'd move it before the Cardinal takes an inventory." Meunier held out her hand and Lena shook it. "No one must ever know of this. Technically we're both guilty of treason."

"My lips are sealed." replied Meunier before heading out of the bar.

"As far as the Cardinal is concerned, Mon-El was spirited away by the Spanish." said Lena to her friends.

"Embarrassing." said James. "But there's not much he can do about it."

"Godspeed Mon-El. May your time in a Spanish prison be long and eventful." toasted Winn and this time he drank out of his cup.

"Let's see him adapt to those circumstances." laughed James.

They left the bar a few hours later and James stopped his friends when they were outside of the building.

"Thank you."

Lena went to pat James on the shoulder in understanding before he slapped her hand away.

"Watch my wound."

"Mind my needlework." said Winn as Lena put her hands up to apologize and the two men walked away to gather their horses.

"If only all wrongs were so easily corrected." remarked Lena to Maggie before following after her friends.

Maggie watched as her friends walked away from the bar thinking about all the wrongs in her life that she wished had been corrected. She wondered how she was going to bring up the fact that she met Milady to Lena. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt someone watching her but she turned around and saw nothing. Maggie caught up to her friends and behind the building a hooded figure appeared. Milady de Winter.

________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might have been a slightly underwhelming last chapter compared to the others. Thanks for reading again. 
> 
> As stated in the previous chapter, this will be my last story for a bit. I'm hoping to get writing again someone time in the upcoming month. 
> 
> A bit of a teaser for my next story: Alex's past as a Musketeer is revealed. Also, some of J'onn's past actions come to light and could cause the Musketeers to lose faith in their Captain.


End file.
